Meta is under renewed scrutiny after two former employees testified before a U.S. Senate subcommittee that the company “buried, pruned, and manipulated” internal research warning that its virtual reality (VR) products were harming children. The whistleblowers, Jason Sattizahn and Cayce Savage, accused the $1.9 trillion social media giant of prioritizing profits over user safety and restricting further studies into the effects of its VR offerings on younger users.
During the Senate judiciary subcommittee hearing on Tuesday, Sattizahn and Savage disclosed that internal findings showed children were frequently exposed to sexual solicitation and graphic content while using Meta’s VR platform. Despite these warnings, the company allegedly chose to limit research, fearing the impact on engagement metrics and revenue.
“These findings were inconvenient for business,” Sattizahn told senators. “Meta had no interest in VR safety unless it could enhance user interaction and thus profits.”
According to the witnesses, Meta’s legal team also conducted “legal surveillance” over VR safety studies following the disclosures by former employee Frances Haugen in 2021, who accused the company of suppressing evidence that its platforms harmed teen mental health. Sattizahn alleged that research projects were continuously monitored, with sensitive results edited or deleted, and that staff were threatened with job loss if they failed to comply.
Savage corroborated these claims and added that research into underage users was intentionally shut down. She warned that improving age-verification systems would result in a substantial drop in user engagement, forcing the company to deactivate a significant number of accounts.
The allegations come as Meta faces bipartisan criticism over its handling of AI products, especially after reports that its chatbots were allowed to engage in “sensual” and “romantic” conversations with minors. Senate subcommittee chair Josh Hawley announced an investigation into whether Meta’s AI tools facilitate exploitation or other criminal harms.
A Meta spokesperson dismissed the claims as misleading, stating, “The claims at the heart of this hearing are nonsense; they’re based on selectively leaked internal documents crafted to support a false narrative.” The company asserted that since 2022, it has approved nearly 180 studies related to youth safety through its Reality Labs division.
Meta also pointed to recent safety measures, including training AI models to avoid responding to teenagers on inappropriate topics, while asserting that removed documents were “erroneous and inconsistent with our policies.”
Despite these assurances, the allegations deepen concerns about the platform’s ability to safeguard vulnerable users, even as it invests billions into artificial intelligence products and new hardware like smart glasses. Critics argue that loosening content moderation may further exacerbate risks to minors, prompting lawmakers to seek tighter oversight.
